


Soulmates are just human thing

by SheyShocked



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bonus chapter with a POV change, Canon-Typical Violence, Fluff and Angst, Gay Simon (Detroit: Become Human), Insecure Simon, Josh (Detroit: Become Human) is Simon’s best friend, Josh’s POV, Like so many of them, M/M, Markus trying to figure out his feelings, Mentions of Carl’s late soulmate, Misunderstandings, Oblivious Markus (Detroit: Become Human), Simon (Detroit: Become Human) is bad at feelings, Some Humor, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, The Stratford Tower Chapter (Detroit: Become Human), brief nightmare sequence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-13
Updated: 2020-11-02
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:47:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 12,857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24700075
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SheyShocked/pseuds/SheyShocked
Summary: Androids aren’t supposed to have soulmates. Hell, they aren’t supposed to have souls in the first place! But Simon just got his soulmate mark and Josh decided it’s his saint duty as Simon’s friend to help him find his other half. However, there is only so much he can do with a common phrase like: “Who are you?”
Relationships: Josh & North & Simon (Detroit: Become Human), Josh & Simon (Detroit: Become Human), Markus & Simon (Detroit: Become Human), Markus/Simon (Detroit: Become Human)
Comments: 34
Kudos: 143





	1. Witness of a miracle

Josh has known Simon for a long time now. He wouldn’t hesitate to call him a friend. So when the domestic android started acting strange, being extremely jumpy and lost in thought more often than not, he knew something was off.

Scanning him proved Josh’s theory – his stress levels were off the charts. Not really surprising. Jericho was a haven where they could be openly themselves, that much was true, but it came with a great price. A lot of residents were on the verge of shutting down, scared, and helpless. Of course it was wearing them down.

But Simon, their unofficial leader, never complained. He was giving others helping hand whenever he could and refused to accept the same courtesy. However, it was obvious he was nearing his breaking point. And Josh could not let that happen to his friend. Not if he could do something about it.

The PL600 was at his usual place with his eyes tightly closed. It made Josh feel almost guilty for approaching him now, when he was trying to get some rest. But what if he didn’t get another chance? Better safe than sorry.

“Hey, Simon? Can I interrupt you for a moment?“ he asked, his tone gentle and concerned as he watched Simon slowly open his deep blue eyes and focus on him.

“Sure. What’s on your mind?“

“You. I mean… Is there something bothering you?“

Simon frowned as if it was a trick question. "Others are slowly dying and there is nothing we can do about it. Of course it’s bothering me.“

“Well, that makes two of us,“ he sighed. "But that’s not what I meant. I wanted to know if there’s something I can help _you_ with.“

That seemed to render Simon speechless. It was clear as day that he was going to politely decline, saying there are plenty of others who need help more than he does, but Josh was prepared for that. He maintained the offensive.

“You are always taking care of us, that’s why I – and everyone else – admire you. But you deserve to be taken care of too. Even if you don’t think so.“

He saw genuine surprise in the other android’s expression. He most likely thought no one else noticed his apathy when it came to his own survival, and Josh proved him wrong. Good.

“So let me help you for once. Please.“

Simon was silent at first. Wary. It was far from the first time Josh saw their kind struggling with a simple offer – all of them used to be a little bit suspicious when they first came to Jericho. Still expecting the worst from others. But no one struggled quite as hard as Simon. He was almost expecting him to refuse, but then the domestic android gave him a small, uncertain nod.

“Ok. Ok. But it’s silly, we should focus on more urgent matters –“

“What is it?“

Seeing Josh would not let him talk his way out of this, the blond android pinched the bridge of his nose as if gathering courage.

“There seems to be some sort of a glitch in my dermal layer – I mean, my skin.”

Josh raised one eyebrow in concern. “A... glitch?”

“It’s nothing serious,” Simon immediately tried to draw a veil over it, his tone weak, expression and movements stiff. Afraid. But of what, exactly? Josh was starting to get worried. “Affects only a small area on my upper back so far, but it feels strange. Like a small part of my code controlling pigment got changed and I have no idea how. And why.“

It took Josh a little while to think of something to say, trying to find a balance between not wanting to startle his friend even more and at the same time make him realize the issue he described is not a trifle to disregard so easily.

“I don’t know, Simon. Sounds pretty serious to me. Our code doesn’t change itself for nothing. Especially when it has something to do with our synth-skin. It could be malware, as far as we know. Or worse.”

“You know I would never consciously endanger Jericho. If I thought it could be contagious, I wouldn’t be here. But I ran complete diagnostics. It’s _not_ a virus.” He sighed. “As I said, it’s probably just a minor malfunction. Nothing to worry about. But knowing what damage has it done would certainly put my mind at ease.”

Josh was still not convinced, but Simon needed help, not a lecture.

“Well, in that case... I can check it for you to make sure it won’t spread or cause more trouble. Then we can fret over how to fix it. Okay?”

“Very well,” the blond android yielded, his eyes briefly flickering between him and other inhabitants of the deck. They were not close enough to overhear their conversation, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t see them. “Just let’s take it somewhere more private.”

“By all means. Lead the way.”

***

They went into one of the unused cabins near the stairs. It was far from cozy, crammed with debris and pitch-dark, so they had to take a flashlight to see, but it was the best they could get. Simon carefully shut the door. Josh noticed there was a slight blue hue dusting his cheeks as he fiddled with the hem of his shirt. Probably a trick of the dim light, nothing more.

“C’mon, no need to be shy. It’s just you and me and I’ve seen worse, trust me,” he prompted him teasingly, attempting to make this strange situation less awkward, and failing.

At least Simon looked somewhat amused, chuckling softly before finally taking off his Detroit University shirt and showing Josh his lean, naked back. He looked so fragile this way, like CyberLife engineers carved him straight out of milky glass. But looks can be deceiving. Considering how tough he was when taking care of his people, he had to be built of diamond.

Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary at first, but Josh suspected it was thanks to the lousy light source. It cast big shadows, which was far from being helpful. He had to step close to get a better look... and when he did, his jaw dropped.

_What... is this?_ He brought the flashlight closer in disbelief. There it was – right under Simon’s shoulder blade. Letters written in neat CyberLife Sans, etched directly into the skin like a freckle or a mole.

It was without a doubt a soulmate mark.

Josh has seen his fair share of them on humans, but never on an android. _“Tin cans don’t have souls, so they can’t have soulmate marks,”_ was a popular saying back at the university. And yet, here they are, facing a small miracle, to say the least. He traced it with his fingertips in awe, making Simon wince.

“Sorry!” he apologized at once, reminding himself to ask before touching, but his eyes soon filled with joy. No one who wasn’t made as a merchandise to be sold and replaced could understand how huge a step this was for their kind. “Simon, you lucky devil...”

“What? What is it?” His friend was growing restless, artificial muscles flexing under his gaze as if he was fighting the urge to flee, cover himself, and be done with this.

“Hold on to your hat. I think you’ve just got a soulmate mark.”

The domestic android suddenly went deathly still. Was he excited? Or terrified? So hard to tell sometimes. But when he slowly shook his head, it was a gesture of disbelief. Denial.

“No. It can’t be. You must be mistaken. Androids don’t have soulmates.”

“I know a mark when I see one. Or did you pass out and someone made you an android equivalent of a drunken tattoo?”

If looks could kill, he would be six feet under. He took it as a good enough answer.

“I thought so. It’s settled then.” His lips curled up in a small grin that was usually reserved for the best of his students back in times before his awakening. With only one difference – this one was heartfelt. “Maybe it’s another side-effect of deviancy. Proof that we are real people, after all. If so, others should get theirs when the time comes.”

“You mean if they live long enough to get them,” Simon noted grimly.

“Yeah. If they live long enough. But imagine there is someone whose _soul_ is compatible with yours. Doesn’t it make surviving another day a little more bearable?”

The cabin was all of the sudden so quiet one could hear a pin drop. It made the dripping of water almost deafening. Simon knew better than to argue. His shoulders drooped as a sign of defeat.

“What does it read?” he finally asked in a tiny voice.

Josh scrunched up his face. He is not gonna like this part.

“’Who are you?’ That’s it. Nothing more.”

The words were too vague, too common. Chances of finding his mate only thanks to them slim. On the other hand, Simon looked a lot less upset by it than Josh thought he would be.

“Well. Not overly helpful, is it? I can think of at least three or five people who said that to me.” The PL600 went to pick up his shirt from where it laid on parts of a broken hammock, seemingly unfazed.

_How can he be so indifferent to something so important?_ Josh couldn’t help wondering, but instead of scolding him like a schoolboy, he chose a more diplomatic approach.

“Yeah, I know. But it’s something. You are probably the first android ever to have a soulmate. Isn’t it great?”

“No, it isn’t,” Simon answered curtly as he was putting the shirt back on, his tone hollow and even more exhausted than before. “Nothing’s changed. I won’t probably get to meet them. And even if, it’s wrong to be happy when everyone else is suffering.”

“Don’t say that,” Josh hushed him. “Everyone deserves to be happy. I think others would also want you to be a little less miserable. I certainly do.”

He looked taken aback, but not in a bad way. In fact, when he smiled afterward, it could easily outshine the sun. “Thank you, Josh. I appreciate it. But please, not a word to the others. Not yet. I don’t want to make them upset for no reason.”

“If you wish. I don’t agree with keeping them in dark, but I respect your decision. You can count on me,” he promised.


	2. The girl with a butter knife

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are getting more confusing for both poor Simon and Josh...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Today is my twentieth birthday, so I decided to celebrate it by releasing this part earlier than planned. Thank you guys so much for kudos and the lovely comments on the first part! They warmed my heart and gave me energy to write faster than lightning :)_

Life in Jericho went on as it always had. No matter how hard they tried, some of the dwellers shut down, only to be sooner or later replaced by another desperate soul seeking refuge they were barely able to provide. It was a tiring cycle, but at least Simon was doing a bit better.

Since their conversation, Josh has noticed some small changes in his behavior. Nothing too drastic. He simply paid more attention to newcomers and their introduction. His eyes would also sometimes linger, but never for far too long. It was… kinda cute. He claimed that the soulmate thing doesn’t bother him at all, but deep down, Josh knew he was longing to meet his other half. As would anyone else.

A few weeks later, another fugitive came in searching for Jericho. It was a charming young woman with a brown ponytail, wielding a rusty butter knife she surely found in a dumpster. But man, she knew how to use it.

“Back off! Back off!” she screamed at everyone near her, swinging her improvised weapon like a feral cat baring its claws. Both Josh and Simon had to rush in to calm her down. And she did. Eventually.

After the former teacher immobilized her by snatching her by the waist and lifting her off the ground (and got punched in the chin in return), the PL600 took the knife, much to the girl’s displeasure. She furrowed her brows, hissing: “Who are you?!”

_Clang._

The knife fell onto the ground with a loud metallic rattle. All eyes were suddenly pinned on Simon, who was covering his mouth, looking like he just saw a ghost. The stranger found herself in a hornets’ nest on the instant, sea of violently red LEDs turned in her direction, prepared to snap her in half if she somehow hurt their respected member. Under normal circumstances, such a display of loyalty would feel touching. But not right now. Now, it was dangerous.

Simon did not help much. Instead of soothing everyone’s worries, as he would ordinarily do, he muttered an apology and made a run for it. He rushed past Josh to the staircase and was gone before anyone could say anything.

Jericho fell very quiet all at once, as if holding its breath before pouncing. Josh quickly put the girl down and stepped in the way of the crowd, giving them a signal to let the poor terrified thing be. But it was her, who in the end broke their stunned silence.

“What’s wrong with him?” she asked, sounding equally confused and annoyed at the same time. No one could blame her.

“I don’t know,” Josh lied through his teeth. Simon’s reaction took him by surprise as anyone else – it was too intense for the usually calm and collected android. However, he was the only one who at least had a clue what was going on. It was his duty to explain it. But a promise was a promise. If Simon wished to give them an explanation, he could do so himself after Josh checked on him. “Excuse me. I need to make sure he’ll be alright. Lucy, help our guest –“

“North.”

“Oh, right. Help North settle down. I will return as soon as I can.”

***

It took him ages, but in the end, he found Simon on the rooftop, sitting in the armchair someone forgot there, looking over industrial district like some gloomy gargoyle.

_I hope he isn’t considering jumping,_ Josh’s heartbeat sped up, only to slow down quickly when he realized his friend wasn’t weighing the pros and cons of suicide right now. He was simply enjoying the view and gentle breeze playing with his golden hair.

“Hi,” he said to make Simon aware of his presence.

“Hi,” the domestic android answered quietly, eyes still glued to the neighborhood beneath their feet, bathed in the light of a setting sun. It was certainly a sight for sore eyes. Why haven’t Josh noticed this place sooner? Too breathless for words (he didn’t even _need_ to breathe, for heaven’s sake!), he could only stand there next to his friend, taking in the view.

“You worried us,” he finally managed to utter. “I thought they were going to tear her apart.”

“Oh. Sorry about that. I will apologize to everyone when I return.”

A pause. Then – “North, I mean, the girl with a butter knife, she’s your…”

“If so, then rA9 has a very strange sense of humor.”

It wasn’t hard to put one and one together. Delicate-looking, but fierce North simply wasn’t Simon’s type. Androids rarely had preferences (at least to Josh’s knowledge; deviancy was still quite a mystery, even for them), although some of them did. Either way, it was no big deal.

“You know, soulmates aren’t always meant to be with each other in a romantic relationship. Sometimes they can be best friends. Partners in crime. That’s also great.”

“Yeah,” Simon rubbed his forehead before leaving the comfort of the armchair to stand beside his friend. He tried very hard to avoid eye contact, but his hunched posture and fidgeting hands alone spoke volumes. Even half-naked, Josh has never seen him so vulnerable before. Poor guy.

“Guess I was just expecting something different,” the PL600 whispered, his voice faltering so bad Josh couldn’t almost make a sense of his words. And when he did, Simon fell silent again, leaving them in uncomfortable silence. It was so unexpected it made the former scholar uneasy. He should respond, comfort his friend, but didn’t know how. That was new. He rarely found himself at loss for words – he had access to thousands of phrases in more than one language after all – but right now, none of them felt adequate.

Luckily, Simon seemed to feel the awkwardness that threatened to creep in between them too. It pushed him to continue. “I shouldn’t have hoped, but… I did. And now I regret it,” he said with a sigh coming deep from his artificial lungs.

Josh was no stranger to that feeling. No one in Jericho was. They learned early in their existence to sorrow over something that never gets to be. He had yet to find a way to make it better, but until then, he gently squeezed Simon’s shoulder. Small, reassuring gesture of comfort, but sometimes, it meant a world.

“It’s gonna be alright,” he said. “Maybe it’s just coincidence. Maybe it’s not. Either way, give her a chance. Perhaps you’ll be surprised in the end.”

Simon forced a smile. “I sure hope so.”


	3. Here comes the drama queen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life in Jericho gets turned upside down when one particular android with mismatched eyes and a big attitude joins it. Also, how can be Simon, who deviated long before most of them, so bad at feelings?

They haven’t mentioned it since. Partly because Josh respected Simon’s privacy and boundaries, but the main reason was much simpler. Jericho fell on hard times.

It was bound to happen – their supplies of blue blood and biocomponents weren’t infinite, after all – but it still hit them bad.

With each passing day, wrinkles on Josh’s forehead were becoming deeper and deeper with concern. Seeing so many of his friends die, even children, only to be stripped of anything usable so at least some of them would survive… it was horrible. And it frustrated him beyond reason. But they had no other choice. Humans would slaughter them like animals if they decided to leave the safety of Jericho. Sadly, this was the lesser evil.

Josh hated every second of it.

***

After the last debacle, there were only a couple of runaways to come and join them. But Simon no longer cared.

Josh saw him talking with North once or twice, which was nice, however, one didn’t have to be a rocket scientist to notice that both of them were stiff as boards around each other. No chemistry whatsoever. And if there occasionally was, it could be as well used as a filling for a bloody Molotov cocktail. They were like fire and water. Far too different to truly understand one another. No way they could be destined to be together.

Maybe Simon felt it too, but the hopeful light that found its way into his eyes whenever someone new has arrived has never returned. Only bitterness and resignation. Heartbreaking sight for his friend, but alas, there was nothing he could do.

And then, one day, another lost soul found Jericho in the grandest style possible (it seemed to become a habit these days). The poor fellow quite literally fell from heaven, landing with a loud _thud_ right in front of them like a sack of potatoes. It sure caught the old residents off guard. All of them froze in place like deer in headlights, pondering whether should they laugh or help the unfortunate guy out.

Simon was the first one to collect himself. After the stranger finally got up from the moist ground, he greeted him with a small amused smile: “Welcome to Jericho.”

Someone in the back row had to stifle a giggle. What an introduction!

The newcomer, intriguing model they have never seen before with smooth nougat skin and mismatched eyes, warily observed them.

“Who are you?” he finally found his voice, a little croaky (maybe the fall tampered with his voice box), but otherwise sweet as honey.

Josh shot Simon a glance. For the briefest moment, he saw him perk up, baby blues glinting with something akin to cautious hope. However, in a matter of seconds, he put his guards back on, fighting the traitorous spark off his eyes. He allowed himself to hope before and got hurt. Nevermore.

***

Josh knew the new android was a trouble when he first saw him. But robbing a CyberLife warehouse? And stealing one of their trucks full of biocomponents and thirium? Pure lunacy. Yet, with Markus, nothing seemed impossible.

At the end of the day, they returned safe and sound with enough supplies for a small army. The speech Markus gave them after that only cemented their decision to name him their new leader, much to Simon’s relief.

Speaking of Simon… the poor man was mesmerized with Markus. The stolen glances full of longing and soft, husky tone he used only when talking with him gave him right away. It was pretty obvious he got it bad – anyone could see it, except for the oblivious object of his desire. And probably the blond android himself.

Funny thing was, whenever he thought nobody was looking, Markus eyed him as well, with the cutest mixture of childlike curiosity and genuine interest in his face. Sometimes, their eyes would meet across the deck, and they would quickly avert their gazes and mutter an apology (even though the other one couldn’t hear it) like two overly shy students. It was adorable. Maybe wishful thinking on Josh’s part, but it seemed like Markus wasn’t indifferent to Simon either.

“So… Markus did an excellent job, don’t you think?” he tried to broach the subject with Simon early after they went to rest.

“Of course. He seems to be a remarkable leader.”

“And nothing else?”

The blond android kept quiet, tight-lipped as always. Josh sighed. Both of them were too old for this beating around the bush nonsense.

“Simon, you are head over heels with him. Don’t try to deny that. I see the way you look at him like he hung the moon and the stars. And it looks like it’s mutual. The words he said when we first met –”

Simon shook his head, the movement strangely vehement for someone so pliant most of the time. It made him look smaller and panic-stricken. He probably was. What scared him so much? That Markus won’t return his feelings? Or worse, that he will?

“I won’t risk another ‘coincidence’,” was all he said before making clear the conversation is over by turning around and making his way to Lucy’s place.

Josh groaned in frustration. He understood his reluctance to take the leap after the fiasco with North, but was it worth it? They could be all dead by tomorrow. One more mistake wouldn’t matter, and if he was right and Markus was Simon’s soulmate? At least they could be happy together. Even if for a little while.

He wished the stubborn PL600 realized that too, and started to live a little. Before it’s too late.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _C’mon. I can’t be the only one who burst out laughing when Markus oh so gracefully fell into Jericho!_
> 
> _Also thank you guys so much for reading and commenting this fic! It has received so much more love than I thought it would and I am so happy because of it. I always end up smiling reading your comments :)_
> 
> _Hope you enjoyed this part and see you next time!_


	4. Fate works in mysterious ways

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Josh’s most unfortunate day turns out to be a lucky one for Simon. Sort of.

Soon after that, their new leader came up with another mission, even crazier than the first one.

“I don’t know, Markus,” Josh scratched his head. It was tempting, sure, but when he thought of the thousand black scenarios how this daring plan could go to hell very quickly… “Sounds like a suicide mission to me. Only a madman would dare to infiltrate the Stratford tower!”

Futile attempt, of course. The android with heterochromia has already made up his mind and seemed hell-bent on it. “It’s our only chance to make humans listen to us. Or do you want to spend the rest of your days locked here, in dark?”

“He’s right,” North immediately stepped in, because of course she would. Her desire to stir a conflict was no secret and most of the time, it was driving Josh crazy. He respected her, but still, thank rA9 she wasn’t Simon’s type. That would be grand. “We won’t solve anything by sitting here, doing nothing.”

“I think it’s worth a shot.” All of them turned around and looked at Simon, who kept quiet until now, nervously fiddling with his sleeves. “Markus’ first plan got us the supplies we desperately needed. He has my full trust with this one too.”

No matter who was formally in charge now, the PL600’s opinion was still well respected among them. Arguing would be a waste of breath, so the former teacher did the only wise thing and surrendered with a sigh. “Alright. But don’t say I haven’t warned you.”

Simon stepped forth and gently laid his hand on Markus’ shoulder, probably to further show his support. But let’s be honest, Josh suspected it was just another excuse to touch the other man. Not that he minded.

Markus gave the blond android a small, grateful smile and grasped his hand. But instead of putting it down, he squeezed it softly, looking him directly in the eyes while doing so. The tension between them was suddenly almost palpable, Simon’s mouth falling ajar, blue orbs flickering fearfully between the other android’s gaze and his plush lips like it was the sweetest, most tempting candy he was not allowed to taste…

“Ehm!” North coughed, effectively making both of them snap out of it and flinch away, ashamed. Josh was this close to finally throttling her. “I hate to be a spoilsport, but we should get to work, you two lovebirds.”

“Oh, right. Of course,” Markus murmured, rubbing the back of his neck, cheeks, and ears suddenly darker with color. It was interesting, this dichotomy between his more confident side and his innocent, curious nature. A clear sign he was freshly deviated, still trying to make a sense of things. He fared far better than most, sure, but deep down, he was like a foal, trying to stand on its legs for the first time. Everyone knew that feeling. Josh just hoped he won’t end up accidentally breaking Simon’s heart because of it.

If he did, well, Josh would make sure he regrets it.

***

And so the big preparations began.

Josh was searching for their current leader everywhere. He found a weakness in their plan and needed to tune some details with him, but as on purpose, the android with heterochromia was nowhere to be seen. Wonderful. Just wonderful.

“If you are looking for Markus, try captain’s cabin,” North finally took pity of him when he was starting to get desperate, pacing back and forth and cursing the wrongdoer’s name. “He said he needs to prepare himself before the main event.”

“Thanks,” he muttered between his teeth and rushed toward the cabin without a second thought.

He was in such a hurry he even forgot to knock, practically barging into the room… and freezing in shock before he could make a peep.

_Oh, shucks!_

He caught the poor guy with his pants down, so to speak.

Well, to be precise, he had trousers on ( _thank rA9!_ ), but not much else. He stood there in his half-naked glory, back turned to Josh, fumbling with a shirt. It lasted for exactly three seconds. Then Markus noticed his entry, quickly slipping into the white piece of clothing with a rustle and turning around to face him, visibly embarrassed. But sadly, what was already seen couldn’t be unseen.

“Markus! I apologize, I should’ve knocked…” Josh squeaked, as if being caught staring at the back of Adonis wasn’t enough (all of them were built good-looking, but damn, some engineer back at CyberLife had a field day just sculpturing Markus’ shoulders and sprinkling it with freckles, because why the hell not).

“No, no, it’s fine. Happens to everyone. Now, did you need me for something?”

The man in question was too dumbstruck to answer. He was replaying the awkward moment in his head over and over again to make sure he didn’t make it up. But no. Their new leader had letters written in CyberLife Sans on his lower back. Three simple words, but with so much meaning.

_Welcome to Jericho._ Simon’s sheepish little greeting.

***

They talked through their scheme as has Josh originally wanted, but he excused himself as fast as he could (which earned him a puzzled stare from Markus in return). He needed to have a word with Simon. Hopefully, this proof will finally coax him into pulling the head out of the sand and facing his feelings.

Finding the PL600 turned out to be much easier than searching for Markus. However, it wasn’t all rainbows and sunshine either. First of all, Simon was busy orchestrating preparations on the main deck. To add a cherry on the top, he was surrounded by people. Having a private conversation with him right now seemed almost impossible. A quick interface would solve the problem, even though the idea of sharing this particular memory made Josh internally cringe.

“Simon? When you are done here, I need to show you something. It’s… important.”

The PL600 looked up from report of some sort, the mood ring on his temple spinning cautious yellow-red. “Did something happen? You look agitated.”

“Well, kind of,” Simon’s expression grew even more confused, which made Josh huff in frustration. “Look, it would be much easier to show you. Can I interface with you?”

It was a lot to ask. Interfacing was a gesture of complete trust among their kind. Josh would understand if his secretive friend, who never talked about his past, refused. But he didn’t. Instead, he outstretched his pale hand. The former teacher felt honored like never before.

He slowly grasped the offered hand, giving the skittish PL600 time to call it off, say it’s too much. Simon tensed at first, but didn’t move away. Brave, always so brave.

_Initiate interface? Y/N?_

Before he could allow the transfer and establish a link, someone called out his name, making him growl out in frustration. “Hey, Josh! A little help here would be appreciated!”

Simon pulled away, flashing him a smile as an apology. “Sorry,” he croaked. “You should go. But we shall talk right after we return from Stratford, ok?”

No “if”. He trusted Markus so much, it was almost endearing.

Josh could only nod in agreement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Well, this part was so much fun to write! As always, thank you for reading, if you liked this, let me know by leaving kudos, or a comment. Have a nice day!_


	5. Two threads severed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Markus finds out about the whole soulmate thing the worst way possible...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _I’m not dead yet! Just had some serious writer’s block (uni exams are still hell), not to mention this chapter wasn’t really a piece of cake to write. There is some angst coming up, so a box of tissues might come handy. But I promise it will get better. Thank you again for all the lovely comments and kudos and enjoy._

…But Simon never returned.

They had to leave him to _die_ on the roof of Stratford tower, alone and terrified. All because of that basta – that guy who alerted the security after Markus spared his life.

It happened so fast, it felt more like a bloody nightmare. Josh certainly wished it was. However, when they returned to the safety of Jericho and others started asking after Simon, that’s when it hit him full force. This is not a bad dream he’s gonna wake up from. His first friend who patched him up after the fight that made him deviate is never coming back.

Emotions suddenly came swarming. Grief. Remorse. Wrath. And thoughts. So many thoughts. If he hasn’t pleaded with Markus not to kill the runaway technician… If North hasn’t let that human escape in the first place… If Markus…

“Enough!” he suddenly burst out, making everyone on the deck nearby startle. Only then he did realize he said that out loud. He wanted to apologize, but his throat felt too tight, the lights were too bright and all he wanted to do was to crawl in some dark pit and die. _Like Simon did._

Someone asked him: “What’s wrong?” and attempted to grab his hand, but no matter how much he appreciated the gesture, he pushed them away, shaking his head.

“I think I need some time alone,” he whispered before fleeing.

***

He hurried into the first unused cabin that came his way and slammed the door shut. Finally. Some peace at last. But as he looked around, his stress levels skyrocketed again.

Of course it had to be the room where he discovered Simon’s soulmark. Just his luck. And it looked like the place got stuck in time, too. The broken hammock was still there, the debris and tons of dust as well. If he closed his eyes, he could hear his friend’s upset voice, loud and clear. _“Androids don’t have soulmates.”_

He died without knowing he had his other half right before his eyes.

Josh couldn’t think anymore, his better judgment clouded. He punched the rusty door, over and over again, and continued punching until pop-ups filled his vision, informing him that he was rapidly losing thirium. He closed them all, annoyed more than anything.

His eyes slowly focused on his violently shaking hands. Well. At least some systems were working properly. There was a blue blood, gushing out of his knuckles. It wasn’t a pleasant view, but nothing a simple repair wouldn’t fix. The door turned out much worse. His fit of pent up rage left a big dent in them. A wave of nausea and shame immediately washed over him. No relief, no reconciliation. The vent only made the hollowness inside him grow even worse.

He slowly slid to the floor, the nearby wall his only purchase, folded his head in his hands, and sighed. He didn’t sob, didn’t cry, but it was as close as he could get.

Another friend, lost to this unjust world.

***

Markus found him an hour or so later.

Josh had a vivid picture of how he must look like now, sitting on the ground in the filth, hands, and everything he touched smeared with blood. A total mess. However, Markus seemed to be no better.

Their kind wasn’t capable of aging or being truly sleep-deprived, but somehow, their leader managed to look both older and like he hasn’t slept for three days straight. Well, who would be surprised? Even if he hasn’t realized it at the moment, he almost pulled a trigger on his own soulmate and then had to abandon him for good. Pretty traumatic experience for such a young android. And imagine what heartbreak Simon had to go through in his last moments.

_Stop thinking about it,_ Josh quickly corrected himself, not wanting to slip again into a whirlwind of ugly emotions.

“Josh! Are you alright? Do you – do you need help –”

“I’m fine,” he cut him short. “Better now.”

A blatant lie, but the last thing he needed right now was someone freaking over him.

Markus glanced at him, second-guessing, but when he noticed that he had only minor wounds on his hand, he somewhat calmed down. He sat down next to him, close, but not too close. Just being there, quiet, his presence comforting.

It took a long time before Markus spoke up, hugging his knees close to his chest in a self-comforting manner. Gone was Markus the leader, the visionary, once again replaced by Markus, the poor unfortunate lad, trying to learn what it truly means to be a human on the go. “I’m sorry about what happened to Simon. I feel awful for leaving him behind. Maybe it would be more merciful to spare him the misery, but when I looked into his eyes… I just couldn’t bring myself to do it.”

Josh hasn’t thought about it this way. Now he couldn’t help wondering. Was it better to end Simon’s life straight away, without long suffering, or ask him to do it himself when the police arrive? Ugh. He felt sick just for considering it. Killing was wrong, period. This way, the PL600 at least got a chance. Not to mention that the former scholar has heard what losing a soulmate can do to a person, but to be the one to actually pull the trigger? It could kill Markus as well. And no way he would allow losing them both in one go.

“You made the right decision,” he assured him in a firm voice. The boy – it was weird to think about him this way when he has already seen him outsmarting two guards on his own without batting an eye – had a good heart. Shame he and Simon couldn’t get together as a couple.

“What would I give to have your certainty. But thank you. I appreciate it.” Markus stared at a dust ball near their feet as if it was the most interesting thing he has ever encountered. Josh knew that deep-in-a-thought look. Something was puzzling him, and he had a hard time putting it into words. But he still tried his best. “It’s weird. There was something about Simon that made me… giddy. Every time he glanced in my direction, it seemed like there was something stuck in my stomach cavity.”

“You mean like butterflies?”

Markus frowned. If he still had his LED on, it would shine striking yellow. “Yeah. Sort of. It was strange and unpleasant, but nice at the same time.” He bowed so his forehead was resting on his knees. “I feel so lost, Josh. There has to be something wrong with me.”

Oh boy. He was even worse at this than Simon. Josh put a calming hand on his shoulder, making him perk up. “It’s okay. Everyone is a little bit lost when it comes to being in love.”

“In love? I… I’ve read about it a lot, but I’ve never imagined it would be like _this_ –”

“That’s what emotions do. They are baffling. Sound very different on paper than when you encounter them for the first time.” _Yeah, I can sign under that,_ Josh smirked, looking at his blood-stained knuckles. “Simon felt the same, you know. He was just too scared of rejection to admit that he was in love with you. You two have… had matching soulmarks. But I didn’t get to tell him in time.”

The second those words left his mouth, he instantly regretted saying that out loud. Why did he have to blurt it out like that? He acted like a total jerk! But there was no way he could take it back. Markus stared at him with shock written all over his face. Processing. Then: “What?!”

So Josh not so willingly showed him through the interface the memories of how he discovered both of their marks. But that only made Markus feel much worse. He looked horrified, grasping his head in distress.

“This is… I’m gonna get some fresh air,” Markus muttered, quickly standing up, not even dusting off his trousers, and running off. Josh’s panicked cries fell to deaf ears. _Bravo, Josh,_ he congratulated himself silently. _You are officially the worst friend ever made._


	6. Eye for an eye, Part I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Josh goes into a stand by mode and dreams of what could’ve been.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Sorry guys for keeping you waiting for so long (I got a part-time job), but it’s finally here! To be honest, this part got way longer than I’ve expected, that’s why I decided to split them in two. Hope you enjoy it!_

“Markus, wait!”

Despite common sense urging him that all their leader wanted right now was to be left alone, Josh leaped up to stop the fool before he does something stupid they are all gonna regret. Unfortunately, being designed for teaching had its flaws. General lack of swiftness, for example. He got to the door right before it slammed shut with a deafening _bamp_ , stirring up a cloud of dust so huge it made him cough to clear out his sensitive biocomponents.

When the wheezing had finally subsided, he just stood there like a marble statue. The sound of his heartbeat pounded loudly inside his ears. Look at what has he done. What a mess.

He wished from the bottom of his heart he could just snap his fingers and undo everything. Not telling Simon about their matching soulmarks. Leaving him for death. Upsetting Markus… But sadly, it was just wishful thinking. Simon was gone and all he could do now was to give his unbeknown soulmate time and space to deal with the grief.

It was one of the afflictions of being a deviant that no one talked about – physical injuries were quite easy to fix (all it usually took was some metal bar and a fireplace, a new biocomponent at worst), but a broken heart? No cure for that. Only patience. Josh has learned that the hard way.

_Perhaps I should keep my distance for a time. To not remind Markus of today,_ he finally reasoned, sitting back on the nasty floor (how could Simon, a domestic model, stand this chaos without going crazy was beyond him) with head heavy in his palms, both physically and emotionally drained. To be honest, he was running low on energy since they got home (will Jericho still be a home without Simon, its heart and soul, in it?), and the bout of fury certainly didn’t help. _Get a nap first. Yeah, a nap would be great…_

Sleepiness slowly enveloped him like a cool blanket, taking all of his coherent thoughts away.

***

Deviation had its fair share of oddities. Like dreams. Josh couldn’t remember ever having them before he was forced to tear down that crimson wall keeping him from opening his eyes. But since then? Almost a constant thing. Whenever he entered stasis, his mind would put together some short, simple scenarios to keep itself occupied. It was curious, sure, some of the visions outright bizarre, but mostly harmless. This dream, however, felt different.

The last thing he wanted was to set a foot back on rooftop of that cursed Stratford tower. His imagination seemed to have other ideas though. It sadistically thrust him right back there, and hasn’t left out a single detail. The icy-cold wind playing with their clothes, the metal tang of a thirium in the air, even the shivers that ran up and down his spine. All of it felt so disturbingly real…

Others were there as well. North, Markus and… Simon had just escaped their leader’s grip that thankfully got him to safety, but his legs gave out and he fell, just like in reality. And this time, with no shock nor urgency to cloud his better judgment, everything in Josh was screaming for him to reach out and give his friend one last proper hug. To say goodbye. After all, this could be his way of coming to terms with the loss.

However, when he tried to go for it, he was met by the same angry red wall he thought was broken so long ago, making him unable to move an inch. Only then he figured out what was wrong.

_Oh._

This dream, everything in it, was scripted from the beginning to the end by his subconscious. And no matter how hard he pushed, the code wouldn’t bend nor break. He was stuck. Forced to watch trapped inside his own body like a mere observer.

“I can’t move my legs,” Simon’s voice, filled with barely concealed panic as the realization dawned upon him, cut through Josh’s consciousness like a razor. Uh-oh. So he has to relive those awful moments? rA9, that’s horrible! Poor Simon, to be abandoned twice. Even if only in his head.

He eyed himself bickering with North over the fate of his oldest buddy without an option to intervene, and hated every second of it. Why did he have to see this? He couldn’t change what was already done – no matter how much he wished that things could have been different, it still ended up with Markus pointing a gun at Simon’s head.

_Stop! He’s your soulmate, you doofus!_ The words were at the tip of Josh’s tongue. Why hasn’t he said it when he had the opportunity? The rational side of him knew it would make things only worse. Markus could have refused to leave, getting all of them killed. No. This was the only way. But still.

He felt pity for what was about to happen, but not fear. He knew he won’t see his partner in crime die.

“I’m sorry, Simon. I have no choice,” the words Markus whispered, cold and spoken in a flat tone so unlike him, gave Josh a pause. Wait. This is not how it went down!

“There’s always a choice,” Simon countered, his baby blue eyes pleading without words: “Don’t do it. Please.” In that one small, fragile moment before he could put on a mask of an acceptance, it was painfully clear he didn’t want to die. Not anymore. Markus, the savior of their people, his unwitting soulmate, gave him a new reason to live. Surely he wouldn’t…

_Bang!_

“Noooo!” Josh was certain he screamed and thrashed like crazy, but to his horror, no sound left his lips in that awful dream, not a single one of his strung up artificial muscles moved. The script forced him to stare in complete silence as his pal’s body collapsed into the pool of cobalt blue blood.

_How could he… why?!_ A wave of nausea hit Josh like a truck as he gazed upon the nightmarish caricature of Markus (he couldn’t think of it as their a little bit naïve, but a passionate leader – not anymore), who seemed almost lost in thought, gawping at Simon’s remains in… was it disbelief? Shame? Maybe even anguish? Heaven knows.

Soon enough, that creature callously wearing the face of their beloved leader winced. His hand sprang up towards his chest in a strangely mechanic manner, clutching at the spot where a thirium pump regulator was supposed to be. Since that, everything went blurry.

When Josh’s vision cleared out a little, Markus was already on his knees, head fallen on his sternum, looking like a broken porcelain doll. He shut down right in front of their eyes.

The former teacher couldn’t take this anymore. Seeing Simon perish by the hand of his own soulmate was bad enough, but both of them? That was too much. Way too much. And the nightmare seemed to reflect it, glitching so bad it was nearly impossible to follow.

There was also this strange, distant voice, calling out his name. It was quiet at first, almost inaudible over the howling of the wind and North’s weeping, but eventually grew louder and louder.

_“Josh, do you hear me? Wake up!”_

And just like that, the spell that script had him under broke, and he regained consciousness.


	7. Eye for an eye, Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Markus is (not) okay.

Josh woke up with a sharp intake of breath like a man being pulled out from his watery grave. Close enough. His systems were yet to boot up properly, most of them stuck on trying to process the nightmare.

The dream was still there. Lurking in the shadows of his mind. He recalled a few cases he heard about, of soulmates who fell ill and died by grief soon after losing their partner. It was never proven scientifically, and a bond between two androids could be different, but still... He needed to know that Markus was safe and sound. Right now.

He sat bolt upright all at once, grabbing the nearest thing available – someone’s _wrist_ , he realized as every one of his systems finally came back online. But to be honest, he couldn’t care less at the moment.

“Is Markus alright?!” was the first question he asked, making the poor thing who came to check up on him startle.

The kid, one of those fancy new AP700 models saved from the warehouse with ridiculously slicked up hair, looked like his sudden return to the world of the living scared the daylights out of him. His stormy grey eyes were wide as saucers as he struggled to wiggle out of his iron grip. Luckily for him, Josh knew how to take a hint, so he let go of him with a sheepish apology.

“O-of course he is! Why wouldn’t he be?”

Oh, bless rA9. A relief washed over Josh like a tidal wave and he felt his eyes water. There was no way he would start crying in front of the AP700. It wouldn’t be good for morale. So he tilted his head back to look at the ceiling and forced out a strangled chuckle. That, however, proved to be a bad idea, for it ended up sounding more like a sob. He mentally rolled his eyes at himself. Well done again.

The kid’s LED became one big light show. It pierced the darkness of the cabin with constant flashes of yellow and red, yellow and red, over and over again as he waited for the answer. But what was Josh supposed to say? That he had _a bad dream_?

“Just making sure. Don’t worry about it. It’s been... one hell of a day.” Well, that at least wasn’t a complete lie.

“Yeah, I can imagine.” The kid gave him a hesitant little nod. Did he _know_ what happened to Simon? Or who he was in the first place? ...Guess not. “We watched your broadcast. The news is going crazy over it. North, she told me to come fetch you, so you could see for yourself.”

“Bet she’s just looking for a fight,” Josh groaned. That at least earned him an amused grin. “Anyway, thanks for letting me know. And sorry about earlier. I... better get going.”

He caught a glimpse of the AP700’s polite smile just before the kid slipped away, leaving the door slightly open for him to follow.

Josh forced himself to get up, his head feeling a tad too heavy for him to carry. He made it to the exit, and although it was a horrible idea, stopped at the threshold and gave the cabin one last glance. It looked so... empty. Dark and lonely. He tried his best not to remind himself of golden hair illuminated by the flickering light of a flashlight as he shut the door for good and headed back toward the deck.

***

He was right. North _was_ looking for a fight.

This time, however, he was to blame just as much as she was. He started it, after all. Not that he meant to – no matter how different their opinions were, he admired North and didn’t wish to deliberately cross her. But tonight, he was simply too exhausted and riled to control himself. And when it came to Simon and his sacrifice, he lost it. He lashed out at the girl without thinking, blinded by rage.

Who knows how it would end up (probably with North beating the nonsense out of him) if Markus hasn’t stepped in: “THAT’S ENOUGH!”

They instantly shut up and looked at him. There was a deep frown marring his face, but he approached them with confident, long stride. Like a man on a mission. It turned out to be more than fitting. He had another plan up his sleeve.

Breaking into every CyberLife store in the city and freeing their people sounded downright insane, but honestly, Josh was getting used to that. No, there was something else rubbing him the wrong way about this scheme. It was just too soon.

Markus was supposed to be grieving, and yet, he acted like nothing had happened. For a split second, Josh pondered whether he hasn’t made a mistake and confused him and Simon for soulmates. But he saw their marks with his very own eyes, heard their first words. They were definitively meant for each other. So that couldn’t be it.

A vicious thought wormed its way into his mind, but he quickly shooed it away. He shouldn’t give himself false hope. There was no way Simon could make it out of that cursed roof, not without getting caught. It was better to blame Markus’ lack of emotion on his inexperience than to get disappointed.

_Maybe this is the only way he knows how to take his mind off things. Nothing more._

Although he claimed he wanted no violence, there was an angry gleam in Markus’ multicolored eyes as he spoke. He was done with hiding, done with humans. And how much would it take for him to snap and burn every soul in Detroit alive? Josh couldn’t risk that by letting him go alone with North (who would be only too happy to serve as a gasoline for a fire extinguisher). He couldn’t.

So when the girl left to grab her things, he quickly snatched Markus by the elbow, throwing him off balance for a while. “Wait. Let me go with you.”

Markus blinked a few times out of confusion, before his expression hardened and he responded in a carefully measured tone. “I’m sorry, Josh, but I need you to lead Marshall’s group. Someone has to make sure they return in one piece.”

“Come on. This isn’t about them, is it? It’s about Stratford.” The other android kept his lips tightly shut, which was a good enough answer for him. He squeezed his arm a little bit tighter. “Markus, please. You’ve been through a lot these last few days. If you don’t want me to come along, fine. Take Marshall or someone else. But making reckless decisions and seeking revenge won’t bring him back –”

Not the smartest thing to say. Markus’ eyes narrowed to slits as he yanked his hand away from Josh’s grasp. “If you think I would punish violence with violence, then you know nothing about me. Keep your advice.”

Ouch. That was harsh. Markus seemed to realize it too. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude. Just…” He sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. For the first time since storming out of that cabin, he let himself be vulnerable and show how upset he was. Just like Josh assumed. The boy didn’t get over what happened. He just had no clue how to handle it. “Go find Marshall, please. I don’t want to deal with this right now.”

Josh hesitated. Did he even have a choice? “Fine. But promise you will think twice before jumping into action, okay?”

Like having his word would make him somehow feel better about this. But he didn’t get it anyway. Markus only shook his head and left without uttering a single word.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Writing this made me realize just how much I miss my boys and this ship. It was great to return to them once again. Hope you also enjoyed this chapter. And as always, comments and kudos are like balm for my soul. Thanks for reading!_


	8. Mending what was broken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Josh gets to (unexpectedly) fulfill his duty.

_Of course_ Markus didn’t waste time hesitating. He was a man of action from the very beginning, after all. Even being broken by sorrow couldn’t change that. Maybe quite the opposite.

Josh has just finished liberating the last of their brethren and was about to tell them to head back to Jericho when he received a note from Markus. Well, he certainly knew how to make a person worry. No subject, obviously written in a haste… Did something go wrong? Or did it just contain new instructions? Josh honestly had no idea and found himself fearing the answer. But as he started to read, his frown made way for a small, relieved smile.

Luckily, it was the latter. Also a very different one from what he expected. _“We need to show humans that we won’t be ignored. Tag a few things with slogans and hack nearby billboards to spread our message. Be sure not to destroy anything or hurt anyone! If something goes awry, run.”_

So Markus didn’t let his rage get the best of him. Just as he promised. Thank goodness.

Needless to say, Josh was more than willing to carry out this kind of command. That’s how a proper protest should look like – no blood spilled, only an attempt to lead a dialogue.

He just prayed they won’t eventually stray from that path.

***

It was odd to see Jericho so full of life, almost buzzing with the conversation of dozens of freshly deviated and excited androids. Odd, but not bad. It was filling Josh with hope he so desperately needed.

However, something was bothering him. He hasn’t heard from Markus or North ever since that message. Others were already there, eager to describe their adventure, but not them.

What if something bad happened at the Capitol Park? Perhaps...

His hands were shaking as he touched his temple, right over the place where the LED used to be – now gone like a bad dream or a memory. He tried to contact Markus, only for the request to be denied. Not dead then. Just brooding. Good.

At least he managed to track down North, which was no small feat, even though she wasn’t that far away. Being surrounded by so many androids and their mixing signals could get quite confusing. But after a while, he found her upstairs in a small somewhat secluded area, sitting on a barrel and hugging her knees to her chest, all by herself.

“North, thank rA9 you’re here!” She glanced up at him. She looked so vulnerable, almost close to tears, it made him stop right in his tracks. “I… what’s wrong? Something happened?”

Not his most sharp-witted moment, he had to admit. But in his defense, he never saw her so upset before. But his words had some kind of an effect, if you count that her expression hardened in a heartbeat, changing into an annoyed sneer. Good old angry North was back, ready to kick some ass. Namely his ass.

“Cops slaughtered them, that’s what happened!” she snapped like a bolt from the blue, catching him unprepared. It was most likely showing in his face he tried his best to make sense of her words because she drew in a long breath to steady herself before continuing. “They caught us when we were running away from the Capitol Park. Killed some of the people we saved. Even though we gave them no reason to.”

Oh.

“I’m… so sorry to hear that. Are you – I mean –” Dumb question. She wasn’t okay, anyone who had eyes could see it. But what was he supposed to say? Especially to such a prickly and private person like her.

His hand automatically reached out to squeeze her elbow to provide some comfort, however, she batted it away. Okay, so no touching. Got it. “Shove it. I’m fine.”

She lied, obviously, but maybe it was better to leave it like this.

“Alright, if you say so.” Both of them grew quiet at once, letting the soft creaking noise of the old rusty ship around them drown out everything else. It was far from the companionable silence of Simon or Markus. This one was uneasy, almost heavy with all the things left untold. He had to say something. Else he would go mad. “Did you capture them? Those officers?”

North gave him a curt nod, her eyes already squinting in suspicion.

“What did you do to them?”

Just another, much more diplomatic way of saying: “Did you kill them?” But trying to be subtle with North turned out to be a waste of time – she got irritated anyway, throwing her hands in the air so dramatically she almost smacked him in the head (he made a step back to ensure she won’t do it again and this time on purpose). “Nothing! Markus let them go, just like that!”

Well. He didn’t expect that, but it pleased him nonetheless. It seems like Markus is truly a man of his word. “Ah. Good,” he said, quickly cutting North off before she could scorn him: “Where is he now? Is he okay?”

“Do I look like his servant or what?” After the sour gaze he gave her, she rolled her eyes, sighing. “Fine. To be frank, I have no idea. But he looked troubled. Said he needs some time to think.”

“Sounds serious,” Josh mumbled to himself, even though he knew she could hear him. “North, listen. I think he is… going through some things and needs someone to be there for him. But I’m not exactly in his favor right now.” She gave him a raised eyebrow. “Don’t ask why. Just… could you please find him and make sure he is well?”

“I guess. But if I do, you owe me, alright?”

“Of course,” he nodded, flashing her a toothy smile right before she jumped down from the barrel and gave him a playful shove. Sometimes, she was childish and obnoxious, and other times she was the best rival/friend one could ever have.

***

North scurried away and Josh was once again left alone with only his thoughts – most of them not overly pleasant – to keep him company as he wandered through the corridors like a ghost.

Being back inside these murky metal walls reminded him of… things he wished to forget. When he thought he finally got it and concentrated on something else – some random historical fact or an idea of what this ship could go through in the past – that’s when he ran into yet another android with familiar blue eyes and butter blond hair _(dammit, why did his model have to be so popular?!)_. And the process started all over again.

He had no clue for how long has he been roaming the Jericho. Half an hour, maybe? Anyway, the only thing that mattered was that in the end, he discovered a fresh trail of blue blood on the ground.

_Hm. Someone is bleeding. Not fatal, but it still doesn’t look good,_ a thought crossed his mind as he examined it, every directive he had until now changing into **> Find whoever got hurt** and **> Help them**. He hated to admit it, however, this was exactly what he needed. A distraction.

It wasn’t easy, given how poorly lit the ship was and how far the injured android managed to go, but he followed the trail all the way to one of the bigger passages leading toward the hall. There he noticed a dark figure – a male, was too far away to get a proper scan of him – dressed in casual clothes, limping along the corridor. He saw him only from behind, however, he could swear the man had blond hair, his left leg was wounded and he slightly favored one side. Josh sucked in breath out of bewilderment.

_Could it be –?_

“Hey! Hey!” he tried to draw attention to himself, however, the android probably hasn’t heard him. He was too far away and the rattling of the ship was too loud there. Dang it! Josh’s walk changed from an easy stride into a sprint. He had to catch up that man. No matter what.

The limping android took the corridor to the right and as he turned, Josh got to see his face. There could be no doubt now.

It was Simon.

Josh would recognize that slightly drooped eyelid and tired expression even blind. It had to be him. But… how? Was it yet another cruel dream? If so, he was sure he would scream this time. Still, if there was even a speck of hope –

The “supposed” Simon suddenly came to a halt, and Josh with him. They were both gazing at a person right in front of them. Markus. Josh quickly darted to cover behind some pipes (who knows why, he has done nothing wrong – most likely a reflex), but he didn’t have to bother. Markus, the young lovestruck fool, seemed to have eyes only for Simon.

They’ve just stared at each other for a moment, frozen in place, unable to move or make a sound. Then Markus finally snapped out of it and went to grab Simon in a hug so tight like he never meant to let him go again. And he better not to.

_I should give them some privacy. Lovebirds got a lot of catching up to do,_ Josh realized and started to back away slowly, all the while beaming like a Cheshire cat (thank rA9 Markus had his eyes closed, or things would quickly get pretty awkward).

Somewhere in the back of Josh’s mind the directive to **> Set Simon up with his soulmate**, once discarded, got at last ticked out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _…and that’s it for the main story, folks. But don’t worry - there’s still a short bonus chapter waiting for you (I will release it soon, probably next week or so). Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this wild ride. It’s been a great experience for me and I’m so grateful for all of your support in the process! Thank you guys. You are the best!_


	9. Bonus - Welcome home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Markus thought he will never see his soulmate ever again. He is in for a big surprise.

Deep down, Markus has hoped getting straight back to business and pretending everything was fine would somehow ease the ache and confusion that settled in his heart. But it didn’t. If anything, after Capitol Park, he felt even more lost. So many people depending on him, asking for guidance… and what did he do? Got them killed. Just like Simon.

Simon… Every memory he had of him was now tainted by bitterness. How could he be so blind not to notice what was going on between them? And what on the Earth possessed Josh to keep it all a secret?

_C’mon, Markus. That’s not fair. Better focus on the matter at hand,_ he berated himself in his inmost heart. Yes, he knew he shouldn’t ponder about it so much. Or at all. What’s done is done, no matter how he wishes otherwise, and he still has people to protect and a protest to lead. But even though he tried, his thoughts always seemed to stray in that direction.

Josh attempted to reach out to him through their wireless connection more than once since they have returned to Jericho, but he turned him down each time. He knew it was petty, holding a grudge like this, especially since nothing of it was Josh’s fault, but he simply... didn’t feel like talking. Not with him, not with anyone.

Maybe he needed to get some fresh air first to lift his spirits. He hasn’t stopped for more than a minute since all of this began, and it was certainly wearing him down. Spending some time in solitude somewhere that wasn’t completely dark and gloomy would make it better, he was sure of it.

Soon he found the perfect spot. At the rooftop of an abandoned building not far from Jericho. It was cozy and quiet, but more importantly, there was an old piano left to rot. He doubted it would still work, but there was no harm in trying. It felt like an eternity ago since he last played. Perhaps it would bring back memories of simpler, happier times.

He pressed one key first, just to test the waters. To his surprise, the tone he got was nice and clear. Much better than he expected. The piano couldn’t stand there exposed to the elements for far too long. Good. He eagerly grabbed a seat and delved straight into the music, fingers swiftly dancing across the keyboard as he let his heart lead the way.

He remembered how he watched Carl perform for the first time. The music didn’t say much to him back then, other than it was most likely an original song, but still, it was somehow freeing to see the grumpy old man, who was dealing with a major depression at the time, just let go and pour every single emotion he had into his art. But then he ordered him to try it out for himself. It baffled Markus, but he did as he was told, like the obedient machine he used to be. He reproduced the song Carl was playing without a hitch – and immediately got scolded for being “too stiff, too robotic”.

The old man went back to playing alone with a huff, and he, desperate to somehow please his master, asked about the first thing that came to mind. His sleeve tattoos.

That’s how he learned about Carl’s late soulmate. How the painter physically felt it when they passed away. The slowly fading soulmark he had on his forearm reminded him of it too much, so he went, got it covered by ink, and never looked back.

“It’s in the past now,” Carl had told him in a hollow tone he used to find so strange. “It no longer hurts, but the scar is still there.”

He has never dared to ask ever again, partly because even in his machine-like state, he realized that this was a highly sensitive topic for humans, one better to be avoided, but more importantly, he doubted he could fully comprehend it even if he tried back then. He was a machine designed to serve his master. There was nothing logical about soulmates and they simply didn’t concern him. Until they did. And oh, how he missed Carl now and his guidance! He would surely make sense of what was going on inside his brain – or heart, for that matter.

Having no other choice but to forsake Simon hurt. There was no arguing with that. It hurt just as much as crawling through the mangled bodies of his people and looking for spare parts. However, Markus never felt like some small part of him suddenly died, as Carl described it. Maybe being an android prevented that. Maybe he really was somehow broken. Or...

“I was wondering where you were.” _Tu-du-dum_. His concentration was gone and he messed up a note. Raising his eyes from the keyboard with a frown, he gave North, the offender currently leaning against the piano, a disapproving look. She chose to ignore it.

He... appreciated her concern (maybe Josh had something to do with it, he wouldn’t be surprised if he had), but right now, he would rather be alone. So he walked in the middle of a conversation like a complete lout. As he marched back toward Jericho, he made a mental note to apologize later.

***

He hardly paid attention to anything on his way, fully absorbed in his inner world, trying to keep himself busy with planning the next step of the revolution. Half-minded actions won’t do anymore, it had to be something bold, like a public demonstration. Or a march. Yes, that’s it! That’s how they will make humans listen. Now to think through the details...

He lifted his gaze from the ground only a few times to check up on his surroundings. The third time he did it, he caught a glimpse of someone that made him freeze right on the spot, his heart skipping a beat or two (who was he kidding – it nearly _exploded_ at the sight).

Simon, his unwitting other half, his soulmate – for heaven's sake, how could anyone get used to that – was standing right there, looking weary like he just went through hell and back, but his eyes were shining with relief as he gazed upon him. Happy to be home. It seemed crazy, and yet...

For a few endless seconds, Markus was too terrified to move or even blink, thinking it would somehow break the spell and make that beautiful phantasm in front of him disappear. But it didn’t. Simon was still there, waiting for him to say or do something, and suddenly all he could think about was pulling him into his arms and never letting go of him ever again. So he did just that.

He was the one who made the first step, wrapping his arms around Simon’s shoulders and drawing him into a tight embrace, but the other man was quick to follow. He hung on to him for dear life, almost as if he was afraid that this was just a figment of a faulty preconstruction software, too. Markus tried not to think about it any longer. Instead, he focused on now. On this breathtaking moment.

Simon felt warm and soft in his arms, and so damn alive. If it wasn’t for the sizzling wound on his leg (Markus set a reminder to help him fix it as soon as they are done here) and thirium smeared all over his face and clothes, no one would have guessed what horror has he been through. Markus unconsciously squeezed him a little bit tighter. He won’t let humans hurt him ever again. Not if he has a say in it.

The distressed sound Simon has made, something between an awkward laugh and a sigh, instantly brought him back to the present. “M-Markus, you’re crushing me.”

“Oh, right. Sorry,” he apologized and withdrew, although not fully – instead, his hands settled loosely on the other man’s hips, giving him space to breathe while staying as close as physically possible at the same time. “I just... I can’t believe you’ve returned. I thought I would never get to see you again.”

It seemed to be Simon’s turn to get bashful. He tried to look anywhere but Markus in the eyes. “It wouldn’t be much of a loss. There are thousands of androids with the same face, the same voice. Some of them are even more advanced than I am.”

Markus’ heart sank. “Don’t,” he hissed through gritted teeth, much more harshly than he meant to, making the other man flinch as if he was slapped. That definitively wasn’t what he wanted and he instantly regretted it. To somehow make amends, he toned his voice down as he spoke again, lifting Simon’s chin with a gentle hand to coax him into meeting his eyes.

“Don’t you dare to talk about yourself like you don’t matter! Because you do. Simon, you are a wonderful man and the entire Jericho missed you dearly. _I_ missed you,” his eyes softened mid-sentence and after some hesitating, he brought their foreheads together to rest against each other.

To be honest, he hasn’t planned that – it was an impulsive decision made in the heat of the moment, and when he realized how... intimate it was, he immediately started overthinking. Was this okay? Not too forward? He would have chickened out and fled if Simon wasn’t eagerly leaning into the touch, his eyes sliding closed and breath evening out. Good call, then.

“No other person could ever replace you, because they wouldn’t be you. Never doubt that.”

“I won’t.” Simon’s voice quivered as he spoke, so full of emotion but fighting very hard to keep it under control. One of Markus’ hands traveled upwards to tangle in his silky soft hair, gently ruffling it and rubbing small soothing circles into his scalp, trying to convey without words that it was okay. You can let go. I’ve got you. I love you.

It would be a sin to break such a beautiful, vulnerable moment with words. But Markus had to. Eventually. Simon needed to know about their matching soulmarks. But how was he supposed to bring it up? It took him a while of hesitating, but at last, he decided to just go for it and hope for the best.

“Simon, I... there’s something I need to tell you. About us. Please, don’t get mad, I didn’t mean to be nosy, but Josh has told me about your mark.”

The blond android drew a little bit back with his head (to Markus’ lament), his face immediately falling. Not mad, then. Just disappointed. That was almost worse. “He did? Oh. I begged him not to, but... I suppose he had a good reason.”

“He had, actually. We match. There’s a great chance we are soulmates.”

He was expecting almost any kind of a reaction, from overjoyed to utterly shocked, but not this one. Simon fell awfully silent at first, expression blank like a white sheet of paper. Then he shook his head – twice, for a good measure. “No. No, it can’t be. You must be mistaken.”

Wow. Markus never knew how little it would take for his heart to shatter into pieces. And here he was. Luckily, the logical part of his brain, the one that was still in charge despite his hurt ego, went to analyze the situation before he could do something reckless.

Simon’s stress levels were getting dangerously close to 100 %, but not once did he struggle to get away from his arms. Not a rejection, then. Maybe he was simply... insecure? Yes, it seemed to be the case. Perhaps he wished for the words to be true, but needed proof, first. Well, that could be arranged.

“I’m not,” he told him firmly and shed the dermal layer on his hand without a second thought. A realization dawned upon Simon as he lifted his palm, now ivory white, and covered Markus’ hand with his own.

Sharing his mind, his entire being, with Simon felt completely natural. Nice, even. Like two pieces of a puzzle finally falling into place. But he couldn’t let himself get distracted. He needed to show him those two shots of their soulmarks that has Josh sent him, and then the memory of their first encounter, just to be sure.

Halfway through, Simon’s eyes widened and he cut off the interface.

“See? So it’s true. We’re soul... mhhm!” the rest of Markus’ speech got muffled as Simon suddenly pounced, clashing their lips together in a messy, desperate kiss that completely stole breath out of his chest.

It was a little clumsy at first, their teeth clashing and noses, but when they finally found their rhythm, their lips slid together as if they were made for each other. And Markus supposed that in some sense of a word, they were.

Simon was the first one to break the surge of small kisses, letting his forehead rest on Markus’ shoulder. Soon, he felt moisture dripping on it. Tears. Simon was crying.

“Couldn’t you think of something a tad more intelligent than a ‘Who are you’?” he sniffed, and Markus held him through it, rubbing his back, unsure how to comfort him. He heard cracking a joke sometimes helps, so he did just that while pressing a kiss into his hair.

“Well, I would say it’s better than having ‘Welcome to Jericho’ written all above your buttocks.” He himself had to cringe at that lame joke, but at least it seemed to be working. Simon gave him a watery chuckle. It sounded a little like chimes in the wind, and Markus instantly fell in love with that sound. He wanted to hear it again and again.

“Silly.”

“Maybe. But yours.” That finally lured Simon out from hiding his face in his shoulder as he looked into his eyes. There were still remnants of silvery streaks running down his cheeks. Markus wiped them with his thumbs, giving Simon a smile, which, however, quickly grew unsure. “Hey, Simon?”

“Yeah?”

“I meant it, you know. That I’m yours. And I will never leave you behind ever again.”

Simon’s were sparkling with joy as he leaned in for another kiss, this one much gentler and proper than the first one. Markus wasn’t complaining though. Both felt heavenly. “…I’m yours too, sweetie. For as long as you will have me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _...Aaand it’s done. I almost can’t believe it. A lot of things has happened since I’ve started this fanfic, I’ve grown so much during writing. Some days, your sweet comments and support gave me the strenght to pull through and continue, even though it wasn’t always easy. So the final words of this fic are: thank you. For everything. Hope you enjoyed this bonus. I sure did enjoy writing it. And I hope to see you next time when I come up with some other fic :-)_


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